NFL schedules Raiders-Browns, Patriots-Colts for Saturday, Dec. 18

As Josh Alper noted for Pro Football Talk, the NFL hadn't finalized schedules for five games for Week 15 of the season and, specifically, the weekend of Dec. 18-19 ahead of the Christmas holiday. 

That's no longer the case. 

Per the league's official website, the clash between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns held on the shoreline of Lake Erie will take place at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 18. Later that night, the Indianapolis Colts will host the New England Patriots, with kickoff set for 8:20 p.m. ET. 

NFL Network and local broadcast stations will air both of those matchups. 

This announcement confirms the Carolina Panthers-Buffalo Bills, New York Jets-Miami Dolphins, and Washington Football Team-Philadelphia Eagles games will occur the following day (Dec. 19). 

Both the 5-5 Raiders and 6-5 Browns will hope to keep pace in the postseason race leading up to that Saturday afternoon contest. The Patriots, meanwhile, are 7-4 and sit in first place in the AFC East standings, while the Colts have won three in a row and five of their last six to improve to 6-5 on the campaign. 

Interestingly, the Browns and Colts will play on back-to-back Saturdays next month. Cleveland will travel to face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Christmas Day, while Indianapolis plays at the Arizona Cardinals later that evening.